Animal trap



' H. C. DORTON ANIMAL TRAP Filed March 2, 1925 f i i i i i Oct. 12 1926.

Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

UNITED. STATES 1,602,655 PATENT OFFICE.-

HENRY G. DO'R'ION, F FOND'A, IOWA.

ANIMAL TRAP.

Application filed March 2,

10 provide means inherent in a trap adapted to kill the animalsubstantially simultaneously with the self-springing thereof, therebyproviding humane treatment for the trapped animal.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means. forsetting the trap,

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claims andillustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which 7 Figure 1 is anelevation of the. trap in sprung condition, dotted lines indicatingpositions of parts in set condition. Figure 2 is a vertical section.substantially centrally of the device, at right angles to Figure 1.Figure 3 is a vertical section of the device on the indicated line ofFigure 30 2. Figure 4 is a cross-section on the inclicated line 5-5 ofFigure 1.,

In the construction of the device as shown a base memberor housing isprovided, composed of a barrel 10, substantially cylindri-v cal in formand a slide bearing portion 11 relatively fiat, rectangular in faceelevation, intersected by and projecting radially on opposite sides ofthe barrel, The slide bearing portion and the barrel preferably areintegral and made in two sections by pressing or stamping and.thereafter connected rigidly to form a hollow body. The upper portionsof the slide bearing provide lower jaws for the trap in operation. A jawplate 12 is constructed preferably of a single piece of metal of endlessannular form, circular inits upper portion and square in its lowerportion, and is slidingly mounted in the slide bearing 11, said bearingbeing open at its top and closed at its bottom except where it isintersected by the barrel 10. A retractile coil spring 13 is mountedloosely in the barrel and is formed with a relatively wide double hook14 on its upper end adapted to be hooked over the lower end bar of thejaw plate 12.

1925. Serial No. 12,787.

The lower end portion of the spring is contracted in diameter and a bolt15 is mounted with its head therein extending outwardly through anopening in said contracted end portion. The bolt 15 extends through acentral hole in a cap 16 adapted to be screwed on the lower end of thebarrel l0 and a nut 17 is screwed on the lower end portion oi. the boltwhereby. tension may be adjusted in the spring and the several partsconnected for operation; lVhe-n the trap is sprung, the jaw plate 12contacts at its lower end with the bottom portion 05 the slide-bearingand is'hel'd firmly in such position by tension of the spring 113, saidspring also providing the force necessary. to move the jaw plateinwardly when the trap is sprung. The jaw plate 12 also is formed with aspike project ing inwardly at the apex of its arched up per portion. Itis also formed with a slot ted ear or extension 19 outwardly from theapex of its arched upper portion for con Venience and safety in settingthe trap as hereinafter set forth. Ear 20, 21 are formed on or fixed toand project outwardly from one plate of the slide bearing portion onopposite sides of and spaced-from the barrel 10 and a bridge or flange22, having a central outwardly-opening notch 23, connects the innerportions of said cars A trigger is pivoted in the upper portion of thebarrel 10 on an axis at one side of the bearing portion 11 and extendsthrough a slot 25 in said barrel The trigger has a horizontal axis andis adapted to extend at times diametrically of but not entirely acrossthe barrel. The inner end portion of the trigger 24 is adapted to engagebeneath the lower end bar of the jaw plate 12 and sustain said plateagainst the pull of the spring 13 at times. The outer end portion of thetrigger 24 is formed with two lips 26, 27, or ledges, end to end and indifferent planes. A pan 28,. having. side fl'anges 29, is pivoted atends of said flanges on a rod 31 extending through and connecting theears 20, 21 and is adapted to move through an arc between vertical andhorizontal positions (Fig. 2), being in vertical position when the trapis sprung. inner marginal portion of the pan 28-is adapted to engage oneor the other of the lips 26, 27 and hold the trigger in set position,thereby resisting the pull of the spring 13. An angle plate 32 is formedwith a and shank The hole in each portion thereof and is mounted by oneoft said holes on the bolt 15 and is held in place by the nut 17, whilea chain 33 is attached thereto by means oi the other hole. The chain 33may be provided with a loop in its outer end portion. lhe trap may beset as follows: The operator places afoot in the loop of the chain 33and a tool, such as pliers, screwdriver or hand hook, in the slot of thecar 19 and pulls upwardly on said tool against the resistance of histoot in the chain, thereby drawing the jaw plate 12 outwardly relativeto the slide bearing portion 11 against the pull ot the spring 13 tosuch extent as to pern'iit of placing the trigger in engagement with thebottom of the jaw plate and the pan in engagement witn the lip 26thereof to hold the same in set position.

This tra preferably is made in three sizes: the smallest for muskrats,mink and the like; the medium for otter, raccoons and the like: and thefor wolves, coyotes and i'oT-Ies and the like.

In use, the ways or at the mouths of burrows or house openings, and isinserted in a sufiioient ex cavation in the ground so that the barreland most of the bearing portion 11. are buried, the pan 28 being veryclose to the normal surface and extending in the direction that ananimal may be assumed to travel in approaching the trap. A. cloth dippedin water may be extenc-ied through the jaw plate and spread over thebearing portion 11 and pan and covered with a light coating of sand orsoil. Bait may be so placed as to lure the animal through the opening oithe aw plate 12. lhe v'sibility of the jaw plate is not n'iaterial,since it is the common practice of fur-bearing animals, such as areabove noted, to pass reely and fearlessly through any holes or openingsobserved by them, A hair-trigger set may be made by engaging the panwith the lip 27. The animal will spring the trap by engaging the pan 28w th a forefoot, thus withdrawing the pan from the trigger 2i andpermitting th jaw plate 12 to be drawn inwardly and forcibly by thespring 18, the trigger rotatin out of the way of the lower bar of thmate. ll hen the trap is s; rung, the spike 18 will strike the animal inor near the spine, or, in the event the animal approaches trom theopposite direction with his head thrust forward, said spike willpenetrate the trap is preferably set in run head or neck, in eitherinstance tending to kill the animal instantly and prevent tortureincident to the use 01" other terms of trap.

I claim as my invention 1. An animal trap, comprising a housing formedwith a barrel and a slide bearing portion, a jaw device mounted forreciprocation in the slide bearing portion and adapted to be extendedtherefrom when set, a spring in said barrel, which spring is attached atone end to said j aw device and the other end to said housing, and atrigger device adapted to hold Sillil jaw device in extended position.

2. An animal trap, comprising a housing formed with a barrel and a slidebearing portion, a jaw device slidingly mounted in said bearing portionand adapted to be extended therefrom when set, a spring in said barreladapted to be attached to said jaw device at one end, a cap on saidbarrel formed with a hole, a bolt in said hole on the cap and engagingthe opposite end of said spring, spring adjusting means connecting saidbolt and cap, and a trigger device carried by the housing and adapted toengage said jaw device in extended position and hold it against theaction of said sprin An animal trap, comprising a housing formed of abarrel and a slide bearing portion, a jaw device mounted forreciprocation in said bearing portion, a spring in the barrel connectingsaid jaw device and housing, ears on the housing, a trigger pivoted inthe barrel and a pan pivoted on said ears and adapted to on said.trigger, said trigger being adapted to engage said "jaw device when set.i

a. In an animal trap, a housing formed with a relatively flat slidebearing portion open at one end and substantially closed at the oppositeend, and a barrel bisecting said bearing portion and con'imunicatingtherewith, ears on said bearing portion on opposite sides oi saidbarrel, said barrel being formed with a notch between said cars, a jawdevice mounted for reciprocation in said bearing portion, a triggerpivoted on and adapted to extend at times transversely of said barreland through said notch and also adapted to engage said jaw device whenset, and a pan journaled on said ears and adapted to be moved through anare relative to said hearing portion and also adapted to engage saidtrigger.

HENRY G. DORTON.

